Polygenic Risk Scores Research Grant Contest

Driving advancements for polygenic risk score-based research

Improving risk prediction today for a better tomorrow

Illumina is dedicated to advancing how we predict heritable diseases with the goal of improving early clinical intervention, treatments, and outcomes. We are committed to enabling groundbreaking research that will help populations across all ethnic backgrounds, genders, and social boundaries, large or small.

Close up image of a female holding a single pipette in one hand, and looking down.

Contest details

Eligible applicants are invited to submit an abstract (maximum of 400 words) for a new project describing the use of the Infinium Global Diversity Array with PRS Content-8 v1.0 Kit along with the Illumina Polygenic Risk Score software–Predict module.

Predict module

Utilize existing scores or ones newly created to generate calculations and risk predictions for a disease or phenotype of interest, with eloquent reporting capabilities to further your research.

Eligibility and requirements

The grant program is open to basic scientists focused on genomics at academic, for profit, or nonprofit institutions

In 400 words or less, provide an overview, a statement of work, and a description of the impact of your research. You may also include up to three figures, with legends, and a list of citations (with 200 word count limit).

Applicants should include:

  • Scientific impact
  • Social impact
  • Collaborators
  • Nations represented
  • Technologies used
  • Other sources of funding

To be considered, all entries must:

  • Be in English
  • Be complete
  • Be an original work

Judging criteria:

A team of scientists and executives will judge all submissions. Each submission will be judged based on our view of how well the entry reflects scientific merit, innovation, and fit with the values of Illumina.

The award

Applications for the 2023 Illumina Polygenic Risk Scores Research Grant Contest are being accepted. The deadline for all submissions is 11:59 PM PT on July 31, 2023.
One winner will be selected from all qualified applications by a panel of experts, who will rank the applications based on the following criteria:

  1. Potential impact to human health
  2. Feasibility
  3. Prior scientific accomplishments
  4. Scientific merit
  5. Novelty

The winner will receive 1008 samples of the Infinium Global Diversity Array with PRS Content-8 v1.0 Kit and accompanying analysis software, valued at over $100,000 USD (Prize). Research proposals that consider biomedical diversity will be prioritized.

Past recipients of the Illumina Polygenic Risk Scores Research Grant

Dr Emma Johnson, PhD

Washington University, School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO

Illumina congratulates Dr Emma Johnson, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine on receiving the 2024 Illumina Polygenic Risk Scores Research Grant. She and her colleagues are using Illumina and Allelica technology to genotype 1000 surgery patients to study the transition from acute to chronic post-surgical pain. This research will develop polygenic risk scores for chronic pain and opioid use disorder to improve pain management and reduce opioid-related risks, addressing a major public health challenge.